


Worry Wart

by vix_spes



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Fluff, Kissing, Lip Service Comment Fest, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-23
Updated: 2015-09-23
Packaged: 2018-04-23 00:47:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 801
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4856801
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vix_spes/pseuds/vix_spes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin comes up with a novel way of trying to break Arthur's bad habit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Worry Wart

**Author's Note:**

  * For [La_Temperanza](https://archiveofourown.org/users/La_Temperanza/gifts).



Merlin had noticed it before, Arthur's habit of unconsciously chewing on his lips, although he had never mentioned it to Arthur. He didn't really think that it would go down too well, especially when he noticed a correlation between each incident. It always happened when Arthur was even the slightest bit nervous or unsure. And, of course, there was another reason for not mentioning it. He hardly imagined that him telling Arthur that he had a nervous habit would go down well and he had no intention of letting himself in for the torrent of abuse that would undoubtedly ensue if he did. Instead, he kept it to himself and if he hid a smile each time it happened, what did that matter? He couldn't help it if he found it endearing.

Merlin stopped finding it quite so endearing and far more worrying once Morgana discovered her true parentage and her magic, turning her back against both Uther and Camelot. He became even more concerned after Uther had died and Arthur became king. Although Arthur was doing an admirable job, he was struggling to find his way in between placating the nobility that had had Uther's ear and forging a new era for Camelot, not to mention dealing with Morgana's betrayal and grieving the death of his father. The frequency with which Merlin found Arthur worrying at his bottom lip with his teeth increased dramatically until Arthur's lip actually started to become red raw and look downright painful, but still Arthur didn't break the habit and Merlin was at a loss for what to do.

The final straw came one evening towards the onset of winter. Merlin had left Arthur in the midst of a meeting with Agravaine to fetch Arthur's dinner, having every intention of standing over Arthur until he had finished it. When Merlin returned from the kitchens, hands full of dinner, there was no sign of Agravaine in the chamber just Arthur stood in his shirt sleeves perusing a stack of documents and chewing on his lip as he did so. Frowning, Merlin started to lay the food on the table, only for a bright smudge at the corner of Arthur's mouth to catch his attention.

It took just a fraction of a second to realise what the smudge was; blood. Arthur had not only bitten and chewed his lips until they were red raw, he had bitten them until he had managed to draw blood. Resolving to do something about it, Merlin caught Arthur's shirt sleeve in his fingers and, just as Arthur's teeth were about to close over his bottom lip, Merlin swooped in.

He almost flinched back at the coppery tang of blood but kept his lips fastened to Arthur's, even as he felt Arthur tense underneath him. Merlin kept the kiss as soft and as gentle as he could, trying to soothe the abused flesh, only pulling back slightly to lave the area where Arthur had drawn blood with his tongue until no trace of blood remained. When Merlin finally pulled back completely, neither of them spoke but Merlin couldn't help noticing the way that Arthur's eyes followed him around for the rest of the evening or how Arthur's fingers kept drifting up to touch his lips.

After that, it was almost as if a barrier had been breached. If they were alone and Merlin caught Arthur biting his lip then he would steal a kiss. It didn't take long for the kisses to gradually start to linger more until one day, after yet another disastrous meeting with Agravaine, Sir Leon and several other nobles that had ended in Arthur biting his lip bloody once more, Arthur had responded to Merlin's kiss.

Merlin had been so surprised that it had taken him almost a minute before he realised that yes, Arthur was really kissing him, and he responded enthusiastically. Even so, Merlin was careful not to kiss Arthur too hard. When they finally pulled away to draw breath, Merlin couldn't resist darting back in to press a kiss to the corner of Arthur's mouth that had taken the most abuse, only to gasp as one of Arthur's arms snaked around Merlin's waist, ensuring that he couldn't go too far.

“A kiss every time I bite my lip? Anyone would think you're trying to condition me, _Merlin”_

“Huh, you noticed. I was starting to wonder. Is it working?”

“I don't know. A kiss isn't much of an incentive to stop. How do you know that I won't keep biting my lips sot that you keeping kissing me?”

Merlin paused for several long minutes before the sincerity in Arthur's eyes convinced him. “What if I agreed to keep on kissing you even if you stop?”

“I'm sure we can come to some kind of mutual arrangement.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you would prefer to comment on LJ, you can do so [here](http://vix-spes.livejournal.com/209967.html)


End file.
